Abstract. Open check dams are strategic structures to control sediment and large-wood transport during extreme flood events in steep streams and piedmont rivers. Large wood (LW) tends to accumulate at such structures, obstruct their openings and increase energy head losses, thus increasing flow levels. The extent and variability to which the stage–discharge relationship of a check dam is modified by LW presence has so far not been clear. In addition, sufficiently high flows may trigger a sudden release of the trapped LW with eventual dramatic consequences downstream. This paper provides experimental quantification of LW-related energy head loss and simple ways to compute the related increase in water depth at dams of various shapes: trapezoidal, slit, slot and sabo (i.e. made of piles), with consideration of the flow capacity through their open bodies and atop their spillways. In addition, it was observed that LW is often released over the structure when the overflowing depth, i.e. total depth minus spillway elevation, is about 3–5 times the mean log diameter. Two regimes of LW accumulations were observed. Dams with low permeability generate low velocity upstream, and LW then accumulates as floating carpets, i.e. as a single floating layer. Conversely, dams with high permeability maintain high velocities immediately upstream of the dams and LW tends to accumulate in dense complex 3D patterns. This is because the drag forces are stronger than the buoyancy, allowing the logs to be sucked below the flow surface. In such cases, LW releases occur for higher overflowing depth and the LW-related head losses are higher. A new dimensionless number, namely the buoyancy-to-drag-force ratio, can be used to compute whether (or not) flows stay in the floating-carpet domain where buoyancy prevails over drag force.

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This paper presents a basic study for protective structures (slit dams) against woody debris hazards. First, a model experiment was carried out to examine the trap efficiency of a slit dam against woody debris with or without roots. Herein, the effects of length of woody debris, flow discharge and opening width of a slit dam on the trap efficiency were investigated. Second, a new three dimensional distinct element method (3D-DEM) was developed to simulate the trap efficiency of woody debris with or without roots by introducing cylindrical elements. Finally, the new 3D-DEM was applied to simulate an actual woody debris disaster site in Hiroshima, Japan.

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Although the latest statistics indicate a decrease in the number of victims of natural disasters in Japan, the number of sediment disasters has increased. A countermeasure against natural disasters is provided by the installation of a steel open-type check dam (hereafter, open Sabo dam). The open Sabo dam is expected to capture boulders (more than 1.0 m in diameter) contained in debris flow of which boulders concentrate in front part. When a debris flow impacts an open Sabo dam, the large impact load on the steel pipes are caused by the impact of boulders under debris flow. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the impact of both boulders and the following soil and small gravels including fluid force of the open Sabo dam from the design point of view. Although an open Sabo dam has various shapes especially, the every open Sabo dams is evaluated by the same design method in Japan. It is necessary to propose the load evaluation method in the experiment scale in contrast with different shape of open Sabo dam. This article presents an experimental approach to determine the effect of the front inclination angle of steel open Sabo dams on the impact load. The debris flow impacts 1/40 scale models of steel open Sabo dams which are set in a flow channel flume, and the debris flow load is measured by using three load cells placed horizontally at the back of the Sabo dam model. Different front inclination angles are set for each Sabo dam models. The time history of the impact load is examined by comparing the loads corresponding to four kinds of dams, which are different from the front inclination angles, and decrease of impact load considering the buffering effect of driftwoods in debris flow.